Now, this may have already been talked about before, but if it was, I missed it, and then I'm sorry if I bring this news which isn't actually new.

Anyway, do you remember that they were some people who thought that Azog is CGI because it was the only way for PJ to replace the orc that was supposed to appear in various scenes? These theories started to appear after the whole John Rawls/Manu Bennett confusion (with Rawls first credited as Azog, then as Yazneg, and Manu Bennett being credited as Azog after that). Well, these people were right! I just checked the videos of Letteri talking about the special effects, and on the third one (which you can find on this page:http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2013/01/16/hobbit-fx-wiz-joe-letteri-on-gollum-the-goblin-king-and-azog/), at 0:05, you can clearly see the orc now known as Yazneg fighting Thorin during the battle of Azanulbizar! Letteri says that it was because PJ wasn't convinced with the design for Azog that he got replaced. So, originally, Azog was indeed meant to be a guy in prosthetics! And it's interesting to note he was apparently meant to appear during the Warg-Scouts sequence.

I actually find myself preferring Azog!!! He was one of my biggest complaints about the film, but I wasn't much of a fan of the Yanzeg design either.

In fact, it wasn't just the CGI Azog, I was actually disappointed in a lot of the orc designs in the film. The Art Of book as some truly horrific goblin designs that I found to be much more exciting than those used in the final film. And the hunting party didn't impress me too much either.

While Azog's facial expressions were really good, his overall person just looked like unfinished CG. It's too bad they replaced the physical actor so late in the game. There's a sad sort of clanging from the clock in the hall and the bells in the steeple, too. And up in the nursery an absurd little bird is popping out to say coo-coo (coo-coo, coo-coo).

What is it from? I'd love to see orcs look like that. There's a sad sort of clanging from the clock in the hall and the bells in the steeple, too. And up in the nursery an absurd little bird is popping out to say coo-coo (coo-coo, coo-coo).

This image was released a month or two prior to the film, and actually it really got my hopes up. Really reminds me of the grittiness of FotR. I don't know where these guys went... "There are no safe paths in this part of the world. Remember you are over the Edge of the Wild, and in for all sorts of fun wherever you go."

It's a shame they replaced Azog with a CG character. I would have preferred an actor in prosthetics. Would have made him look less video game-ish. But with the last minute change, there just wasn't time I guess.

But in an ideal world, they'd have used the Azog design as prosthetics on a massive actor such as Conan Stevens. My Top 5 Wish List for "The Hobbit"5. Legolas will surf down Smaug's neck 4. Bilbo will be revealed to a Robot 3. Naked PJ cameo as Ghan-Buri-Ghan 2. Use of not only 3D, but smell-o-vision, plus the inclusion of axes coming out of the seats and poking the audience when appropriate 1. Not only keep the claim that Thorin & Co. ran amok in Mirkwood "molesting people", but depict said incident in vivid detail!!!!!

Yazneg was fine for an Orc captain/lieutenant, his strange armour/spike things made him stand out from the rest of the Hunter Orcs, but I don't think he looked imposing or strong enough to portray Azog. I thought Manu Bennet's played Azog really well, hardest Orc ever.

Guess the lego set with Yazneg on the white warg makes some sense now.

Also remember Conan Stevens was introduced in on the Vlogs as Azog rather than Bolg. Yes, my username is terrible.

Is Yazneg-who-was-the-original-design-for-Azog the strange-looking orc in the December of my 2013 Hobbit calendar? Then Manwė and Yavanna parted for that time, and Yavanna returned to Aulė; and he was in his smithy, pouring molten metal into a mould. 'Eru is bountiful,' she said. 'Now let thy children beware! For there shall walk a power in the forests whose wrath they will arouse at their peril.'

'Nonetheless they will have need of wood,' said Aulė, and he went on with his smith-work.

John Rawls was originally playing Azog, using an initial design for the part...they then re-designed and re-cast the role, going with a digital character played by Manu Bennett. John Rawl's Orc character was redesignated "Yazneg" and his part was reworked as Azog's lieutenant. Some of this probably included filming new material, as well as inserting the digital Azog over the practical previous version, and debubbing/subtitling the Orc dialogue. My Top 5 Wish List for "The Hobbit"5. Legolas will surf down Smaug's neck 4. Bilbo will be revealed to a Robot 3. Naked PJ cameo as Ghan-Buri-Ghan 2. Use of not only 3D, but smell-o-vision, plus the inclusion of axes coming out of the seats and poking the audience when appropriate 1. Not only keep the claim that Thorin & Co. ran amok in Mirkwood "molesting people", but depict said incident in vivid detail!!!!!

Does this mean Azog was supposed to have survived all along?
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Can't Post

I've been under the impression that the whole character of Azog (outside the flashback) was a last-minute addition due to the three-movie split. But this and the Lego set with the old Azog design (now Yazneg) seems to disprove that. It seems instead that the major change was updating Azog's design and the addition of Yazneg as a separate character. (On the other hand, the Lego Azog/Yazneg is not missing his arm. So maybe the original fight between Thorin and Azog played out differently?)

By the way, I much prefer the new Azog design. Nothing wrong with the old one (except I'm not a fan of the pinkish skin, reminds me a bit of Gothmog), but I think the infamous Orc-king needs to look more... remarkable. The CGI design does that.

And is it just me, but does Yazneg look slightly different than "old Azog"? For example, I'm pretty sure Yazneg had darker skin. Want to chat? AIM me at Yami Liokaiser!

that because many of the baddies in LOTR were dark skinned, that the production was racist. Now we have the two main villains of AUJ (Azog and the Goblin King) having fairer skin than most of the dwarves.

ETA as for Azog surviving all along, I think it was assumed he died, but the loss of part of an arm is not always fatal.